Last night I watched two TV programs, one about Niagara Falls and one about the Zambezi (Victoria Falls). One that is totally shaped by people, turned into a bizarre circus, and the other wild, full of animals and indigenous people. It was a nice diversion. I slept very well and feel ten times better this morning. I was overtired. I'm glad I didn't run out to the grocery last night. For one thing, abstinence from alcohol is advisable when one is teetering on the edge of exhaustion or depression or whatever it is that knocks one upside the head from time to time. I will have to remember this and next time (hopefully very, very far in the future and very, very rarely) I will just pull back and relax and rest. There is a tendency to think that one has to "do something" instead of just letting things run the course.

I broke a cutting board a couple of days ago. Well, actually Oboe broke it, but I'm not blaming him. I'm the human adult here. Anyway, it is an integral part of my makeshift kitchen, comprising roughly 1/3 of my available counter space. I do have another cutting board this is not quite as large and is very beaten up. Still, there is a great satisfaction in using things until they can't be used any more, and not having to buy new stuff. I need to get some food-grade mineral oil, something I have been meaning to get for some time, to put on my cutting boards. In the meantime, I sanded the old/new board and rubbed it with sunflower oil. I also need a new electric kettle. This one has been limping along for some time, and it heats up fine, but the spout and bits around the top are hopelessly battered. I have had it for years.

I am very, very pleased with my new fancy-schmancy slicing implement. Here it is: Amazon.com: Paderno World Cuisine A4982799 Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable: Kitchen & Dining. Last night I sliced the ill-fated cucumber with it. This morning I am able to look at it with clearer eyes that are not hazed by fatigue, and I see that it is a very versatile implement, much more useful that I originally thought. I can cut spiral-y things or I can cut regular slices as well - I just need to make cuts along the sides of the veg or fruit. It is easy to clean and surprisingly sturdy for what it cost. I am going to buy a big basket of veg, slice them up and make them into a soup with the bone broth I made the other day.

I bought that slicer a few months ago. Goes through a sweet potato in like 2 minutes if you have mad grade-school pencil sharpening skills

SW (Nov 22nd 2011): 333, 2 Years: 245lbs
Current Weight as of March 15th, 2014: 266 Short Term Goal: 230 for August 1st Wedding Date
Met Goal: Be a 2x Shirt, Fit in a standard airplane seat belt without the use of a seat belt extensionLong Term Goal: 166lbs (One day!), Buy whatever cloths I want to wear.
Pain is temporary, quitting is forever- Lance Armstrong #NoExcuses

Goes through a sweet potato in like 2 minutes if you have mad grade-school pencil sharpening skills

The key, of course! And not slicing through a finger! I think even one so clumsy as me will be able to manage, which is saying a lot. (This from the woman who ended up with five stitches in her left palm as a result of trying to imitate Jacques Pepin.)

Had a very, very large bowl of leafy greens with walnut oil and balsamic vinegar, and an egg scrambled with scallions. Having a great craving for veg. What's up with that? There are worse things to crave! Wish the farmers market was today, alas it is tomorrow.

Similar to my dinner last night, I took a whole bag of spinach and sauteed it in Olive oil and butter, then tossed in some fresh uncooked salsa, spices and last some eggs and stirred it into a unappetising looking mass of deliciousness.

That reminds me of a really delicious thing I used to cook - red (or any other color) bell peppers - cook them for a really long time on low heat on the stovetop, maybe half an hour until they are melty, add some parmesan (if you do dairy) and garlic, and stir in eggs - you end up with a very red mound of stuff that tastes like heaven. Must make that soon. Great thing to make when peppers are on sale.

Whew! Had a busy afternoon. Drove to the nearby shopping town and had some fun. Got the food-grade mineral oil. Why mineral oil, you may ask? Use it on wood surfaces in your kitchen because it will not go rancid. Obviously it is also safe to consume, although of course you do not cook with it. Bought carrots, onions, celery, fennel. Have never cooked with fennel. (Hanging head in shame.) Picked up an already cooked organic chicken from a local farm for $7. Why so cheap, you ask? Because it is on the last sell-by date. Came home and went to town slicing everything on my new slicer dicer. Works a treat! It accomplishes what I cannot with a knife - everything is very, very thin. Shredded the chicken. All the leavings went into the little crock pot, where they will stay overnight. All the nice bits went into soup along with the bone broth I had and a pint of chicken stock from the food co-op. Best soup I ever made! Why did I never put fennel in my soup? It is wonderful, a subtle flavor. Luckily I have an old toothbrush I use for dish cleaning - it makes cleaning the slicer a snap. Ten seconds and it's done. Ate a bowl of soup - also have to admit that a good amount of chicken made it into my mouth while I was shredding away. I can't resist a nice drumstick! So that was dinner.

Also had my special G&T. Didn't break anything this time. Actually I am glad I broke the glass BEFORE I put in the $$$$$$ gin and tonic. I can afford to lose a cucumber!

Must confess this afternoon was a bit carb-y. The cooking supply store sells astoundingly good coconut macaroons, gluten-free of course. (If you find one that isn't gluten free, just say no. Coconut macaroons are not supposed to contain flour or any grains.) And the food co-op had chipotle sweet potato soup (also gluten and grain free) that is really worth eating. I don't regret it at all. If I'm gonna eat carbs, those are the ones!

I did have quite a splurge. There is a wonderful art gallery, all Maine artists, most of them local. I saw a silhouette (paper cutting) of two loons and some pine trees that I had to have. Just had to. It was $50. I love it and it is hanging in the perfect place on my wall. I wish I could decorate properly and really show off my art - I have some nice pieces.

Ridiculously excited about Science Wednesday on PBS. Tonight is hummingbirds, apes, and elephants. Yes, I am a geek. No, I do not have DVR or anything of the sort. I don't even have cable. I will not be getting those things. I have what I can pull for free from the sky. (Full disclosure - obviously I have a computer and can watch stuff that way.)